Ball, big victory ripped away

All-American’s play for Nebraska turns tide against OSU

LINCOLN, Neb. — Things were going great for freshman quarterback Braxton Miller and the Ohio State offense until 7:54 remained in the third quarter last night. Then, Nebraska linebacker LaVonte David grabbed the ball from Miller and ripped it away, and with it the game.

With the Buckeyes up 27-6, Miller had just run for 7 yards and an apparent first down at his 24-yard line when David, an All-American, reached in and ripped the ball out of his hands.

Two plays later, quarterback Taylor Martinez ran 18 yards for a touchdown, and the Huskers suddenly were back on track on offense and defense.

As for Miller and the Ohio State offense, the worst news was yet to come. On a keeper to the right side on the Buckeyes’ next possession, Miller suffered an apparent high ankle sprain as he made a cut, and he then was hit hard by linebacker Sean Fisher for a 2-yard loss.

Miller had to be helped from the field and went to the locker room for treatment. He returned to the sideline with his lower right leg taped and never returned to the game. The offense’s spark that had been key in building OSU’s big lead was gone.

The coaches turned the ball over to senior Joe Bauserman, the starter the first three games of the season, and he looked like the quarterback who had lost the job in the loss at the University Miami. He was high or long on most of his throws.

Then came another gut-wrenching moment. Trying to connect with Corey Brown down the right sideline with the score tied at 27, Bauserman was intercepted by Stanley Jean-Baptiste at the Nebraska 22.

Martinez, widely criticized after a loss at Wisconsin the week before, engineered the winning touchdown drive. Most of the work was done by running back Rex Burkhead, who capped it with a 17-yard run through left end for the go-ahead score with 5:10 to play.